Notre Dame Hockey Awards Week

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame hockey program will be announcing its 2019-20 team awards throughout next week, beginning on Monday, April 20 with the Compton Family Leadership in Service Award and the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award.

Traditionally announced at a season-ending banquet, the award winners will be announced on the team’s Twitter (@NDHockey) and Instagram (nd_hockey) feeds with updates to follow on UND.com.

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Compton Family Leadership in Service Award (April 20)

For the second consecutive season, Cal Burke earned the team’s Compton Family in Service award. The senior captain, who was also a Hockey Humanitarian award and Senior CLASS award finalist, was one of the leaders in regards to the team’s involvement with the Fighting Irish Fight for Life program. 

Burke is also a member of Notre Dame’s Student Athlete Advisory Council. The Boxborough, Massachusetts, native serves on a mental health sub-group within the SAAC, working to reduce the stigma around mental health and help-seeking. To that end, he helped develop and launch the Irish Strong Initiative. An excellent student as a Business Analytics major in Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Burke earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and 2019 and prior to that he was named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team in 2017.

Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award (April 20)

Sophomore forward Alex Steeves earned the team’s Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award. An Accountancy major in the Mendoza College of Business, Steeves not only led the team with 28 points in 2019-20 but has also earned Dean’s List honors in each of his first three semesters at the University. His 28 points on 11 goals and 17 assists all marked career-high totals for the Eden Prairie, Minnesota native.

Brian “Duke” Walsh Offensive Player of the Year (April 21)

Senior forward Cam Morrison was named the team’s 2019-20 Brian “Duke” Walsh Offensive Player of the Year. An architect of many big game goals throughout his four seasons with Notre Dame, Morrison finished his senior season ranking second on the team in points (27) while leading the team with a career-high 13 goals. He also finished the season with a team-best +10 rating and had three multi-point games, including a goal and two assists in the 4-1 road victory against #19 Western Michigan (Jan. 5).  

Morrison, who was a second round draft pick (40th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2016 NHL Draft, completed his Irish career with 95 points on 44 goals and 51 assists in 149 games played. He scored the overtime game-winning goal against Ohio State to secure the 2018 Big Ten Tournament Championship and later in that playoff run he had the primary assist on Jake Evans’ last second game winner that sent the Irish to the NCAA national championship game.

William Donald Nyrop Defensive Player of the Year (April 22)

Sophomore defenseman Nate Clurman earned William Donald Nyrop Defensive Player of the Year honors. A sixth round draft pick (161st overall) by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2016 NHL Draft, he skated in all 37 games in 2019-20 and ranked second on the team (first among defensemen) with a +8 rating. He posted a career-high nine assists on the season, including a two-assist game in the 5-4 overtime road victory against #15 Wisconsin (Nov. 16). It marked his first career multi-point game. Six of his nine assists came in Big Ten play.

Charles “Lefty” Smith Coaches’ Award  (April 23)

Junior goaltender Nick Sanford was named the Charles “Lefty” Smith Coaches’ Award winner. The team’s third goaltender, he’s known for his worth ethic and his willingness to put in extra time on the ice to help his teammates. A Westminster Preparatory High School graduate (Simsbury, Connecticut) and Morristown, New Jersey native, Sanford is majoring in Political Science.

The Most Improved Player Award (April 24)  

Sophomore defenseman Charlie Raith won the team’s Most Improved Player Award. After not breaking into the lineup as a freshman in 2018-19, Raith became a mainstay on the Irish blueline this past season. He skated in 36 games, notching a pair of goals and adding an assist. He had a +5 rating on the season. His first career goal proved to be the third period game winner in Notre Dame’s 5-3 win at Minnesota (Nov. 2). The Winnetka, Illinois native also recorded his first career assist in the 2-1 comeback victory against #8/9 Ohio State (Nov. 9).

Rookie of the Year Award (April 25)

Freshman forward Trevor Janicke earned Rookie of the Year honors after leading all newcomers in goals (8) and points (13). A fifth round (132nd overall) selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2019 NHL Draft, he scored his first collegiate goal and added an assist in the 6-4 victory to secure the series sweep against Lake Superior State (Oct. 26), also marking his first career multi-point game. Janicke also scored the game-tying goal with 1:57 left in regulation to help the Irish secure the 3-2 overtime victory against #8/9 Ohio State (Nov. 8). The Maple Grove, Minnesota native scored his final goal of the season in the 1-0 win at Minnesota in game one of the 2020 Big Ten quarterfinals (March 6).

Notre Dame Monogram Club’s Most Valuable Player Award (April 26)

For the third consecutive season, goaltender Cale Morris earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award to close out one of the most decorated careers in the Irish records book. The Larkspur, Colorado native posted the top career save percentage in program history with a .931 mark, while his 2.18 career goals-against average ranks second and his 58 victories (58-35-11) also rank second. 

Serving as an alternate captain, Morris started 33 games as a senior and his season highlights included a 37-save shutout in the 3-0 win at Penn State (Dec. 14), stopping 82 of the 84 shots he faced in Notre Dame’s series versus No. 19 Western Michigan – including a penalty shot save in each game – as well as a 19-save shutout in the 3-0 win at Michigan (Feb. 22). He secured his third shutout of the season and the 11th of his career in the Big 10 Quarterfinal 1-0 victory against Minnesota (March 6). 

An All-American and Mike Richter Award Winner as the NCAA’s top goaltender (2018), Morris racked up 15 weekly Big Ten honors in his three years as Notre Dame’s starting goaltender: First Star (8), Second Star (4), Third Star (3). He is just the third player to earn team MVP honors three times, joining Matt Eisler (1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98) and Mike McNeill (1985-86, 1986-87, 1987-88).

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